Court jails madrasa teacher for life in case over rape of student

Abu Taher of Swandip was convicted of raping a seven-year-old student

A Chattogram court has slapped a madrasa teacher with life in prison for raping a seven-year-old student in Chattogram’s Swandip.

Judge Joynal Abedin of the Chattogram Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3 announced the verdict on Thursday.

The convict, 30-year-old Abu Taher aka Shipon, is a native of Haramia village in Swandip. The court sent him to jail after the verdict was announced.

The court also fined the convict Tk 10,000 after the complaint against him was proven, said Special Public Prosecutor Zico Barua.

On Jun 9, 2021, the first grader went to her madrasa, according to the case documents. She had an exam scheduled on that day. After completing her exam, the girl was waiting at the madrasa for her brother, a motorcar driver, to pick her up. But her brother had to drive far that day and couldn’t go to pick up his sister.

As Abu Taher found the student waiting alone for her brother, he caned her and forcefully took her to the madrasa's office. He raped her there and also threatened to harm her in case she shared the incident with her family.

Later, the girl fled the room and rushed home and Abu Taher went to a nearby pond. She received medical treatment at the local upazila health complex and at a private hospital. Her father filed a case over the incident on Jun 13, 2021, naming Abu Taher.

A magistrate recorded the girl’s confessional statement. Seven witnesses testified in the case and finally, the court announced the verdict on Thursday.